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Re: Aquatic Lotus - Nelumbo


Keith Romanczyk asked,

> Can someone please tell me the best way to deal with Nelumbo after they
> germinate?  Germination is the easy part;  I need to know what medium to
> plant in, how deep, how soon after germination, etc.,etc..  
> 
> I have an aquarium set up in my greenhouse.  Should it be filtered?
> Cleaned? Ignored totally?

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) as grown in Wellington Botanic Garden  (New 
Zealand) in a Greenhouse, (where I look after it).

  -The rhizome is growing in acumulated sludge in a 3 metre wide hole 
in a heated Water Lily Pond. The water depth is about 1 metre.

The water teperatures are around 25 C in summer, when it is in active 
growth, and 23 C in winter,when it is relatively leafless and dormant.

Vegetative propagation is from forward sections of rhizome taken in 
the spring.-October in NZ-it dosn't seem to work so well at other 
times of the year.

I have not propagated Lotus from seed, but provided you stay away 
from heavy clay, any good garden soil should do, and water depth of 
10 - 20 cm should be sufficient for the seedlings.

>From my observations, growth and dormancy in Nelumbo appear to be 
controled by daylength, so you may need lights to extend the hours of 
light (14+) to keep plants growing in the winter.

Don't worry about murky water they seem to love it!

I hope this is of help. The reward is worth the effort.

-Mike Wilton
--------------------------------------
Michael Wilton, Waikanae, New Zealand
--------mike.wilton@xtra.co.nz--------
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